In a speech in Calgary last week, Stephen Harper warned Canadians that we live in a dangerous world and that we need strong and stable leadership to meet the challenges.Fair enough, “strong” and “stable” are among the most well-known leadership qualities of the 20th century; but, as this is the 21st, I want to add five others that I think leaders will also need to ensure we prosper in the digital age.First a bit of context. In the latest issue of Policy, Kevin Lynch, a former Clerk of the Privy Council under Harper, describes five major trends that are remaking our world: globalization, technology, energy, demographics and governing. In this environment, “constant change is the new normal,” he tells us, and we will need “ingenious policy-making” to prosper.Lynch doesn't say much about the kind of leadership it will take to produce this, but I believe the real leadership challenge for the future is about building the relationships we need to offset constant change.So here's my shortlist of five questions to help assess whether a leader is likely to forge the right relationships—with cabinet, stakeholders, citizens and opponents—to deal with change and fuel the “ingenious” policy ideas Lynch tells us we need.Is he/she good at delegating responsibility?No single person, however intelligent, can manage all the important issues facing the federal government. Surprises are a constant and teamwork is essential. A prime minister who can't delegate well or who is unable to trust his/her ministers to make their own decisions is therefore at a huge disadvantage; and risks being overwhelmed by competing priorities.Does he/she value strong working relationships with stakeholders outside government?In the new environment, the boundaries between the government and the world outside are increasingly permeable and shifting. Decisions no longer travel up and down the bureaucracy the way they used to. Now they also travel back and forth along the networks that connect the government to other people and organizations. Policies that used to be implemented by command-and-control now require collaboration with people and organizations outside government.As a result, fewer and fewer decisions lie fully within the prime minister's control. Getting things done requires a combination of organizational agility and the right interpersonal skills to work with colleagues from other sectors and governments to find solutions. This, in turn, means the government must be building and maintaining all sorts of networks to support this kind of collaboration. A government that fails to do so will find itself increasingly sandbagged by events and circumstances beyond its control.Does he/she reach out to citizens to engage and inspire them?The idea of a mandate is at the heart of the government's relationship with the public. In theory, this comes from presenting a platform during an election. But in a world of constant change, no party can plan everything four years in advance. Decisions must be made as situations and opportunities arise. To ensure public buy-in and legitimacy, a leader must continue to engage citizens, making them feel they have a voice in these discussions and decisions. A strong leader does not have to be loved, but he/she must be trusted and respected. And that means citizens, in turn, must feel the prime minister is treating them with respect—that he/she speaks up to them, rather than down; and seeks to inspire hope, not just to instill fear.Is he/she committed to strengthening our democratic institutions?In a democracy, reasonable people can differ on policy, but they need to agree on governance, that is, on the processes by which we settle our differences and make our decisions. In this new environment, however, our traditional governance processes are being called into question: they lack transparency and accountability; they often treat stakeholders unfairly; evidence gets suppressed or ignored; and jurisdictional responsibilities are blurred. The prime minister has a responsibility to maintain the integrity of our democratic institutions. Without them we have no legitimate way to resolve our differences or make decisions together. Renewing our democracy for the digital age therefore should be high on any leader's list of priorities.Why does he/she want to be prime minister?Lastly, I think we need to ask ourselves why a leader wants to hold the highest office. The goals that motivate a person tell us a lot about the choices they are likely to make and the relationships they are likely to build. And for this, we must look beyond a leader's talking points and engage one another in a more searching discussion of our leaders' values and intentions: What are their deepest aspirations? How do they view politics and governing? How do they treat opponents? Is politics mainly a game of power or are they really striving to realize some public good?In sum, I think everyone will agree with Harper that Canadians need good leadership for the future, but we should not take for granted that we know what this involves or who is well positioned to provide it. We've got a few months to debate and decide which qualities really matter, so let's use the time to get it right.Dr. Don Lenihan is Senior Associate, Policy and Engagement, at Canada 2020, Canada's leading, independent progressive think-tank. Don is an internationally recognized expert on democracy and Open Government. His recent projects include chairing an expert group on citizen engagement for the UN and the OECD; and chairing the Ontario Open Government Engagement Team. The views expressed here are those of the columnist alone. Don can be reached at: [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at: @DonLenihan